


A Song of Frost

by pickleplum



Series: Learning to Fly [3]
Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Wings, Animal Traits, Athene Noctua Verse, Bad Parenting, Birds, Childhood, Dubious Ethics, Gen, Human Experimentation, Parent-Child Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-29
Updated: 2016-06-29
Packaged: 2018-07-18 21:28:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7331269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pickleplum/pseuds/pickleplum
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Young Hermann Gottlieb finds a way to earn his distant mother's approval.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Song of Frost

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MoiraColleen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoiraColleen/gifts).



> 28 December 1992  
> Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany

\- Yancy's new friend; Zwiesel, August 2011 — Raleigh B. -

Hermann sits cross-legged on his bed, admiring his new book with pictures of birds with Little Widdershins.

„Hello, Hermann,“ greets Mother as she enters.

He sets the book aside. „Hello, Mazur!“

Mother sits in the rocking chair, notebook in her lap, pen in her hand. „Would you sing for me?“

„Yes!“ Hermann sits up straighter.

„Let's start with your first song.“

Hermann chirps, like the kittens born under the hedge that summer had.

„Beautiful!“

„Sank you!“

„How about the tree song?“

Hermann puffs a single note, breaking it into little pieces with his tongue.

„Lovely! What about the big ear song?“

Hermann pushes a round sound from his chest.

„Well done! You've been practicing.“

Hermann nods.

„Good, good.“ Mother writes. „Do you remember the plain song?“

„Yes!“ he says, then makes a chesty trill.

„Very good. Go on.“

Hermann chirps pretty notes, ends with a _squack_.

„Oh! Did you teach yourself that song?“

Hermann puffs up. „Yes!“ Shyly, „You like it?“

Mother smiles her glowiest smile at him. „It's very pretty.“ She makes a note „Was that a blackbird?“

Hermann nods. „Backbird.“

„Have you taught yourself any others?“

Hermann trills quickly and high.

„Greenfinch?“

„Wittle deen bird?“

„Yes, green like new leaves.“

„Yes. Deenfish.“

„Are there more new songs?“

Hermann smiles through a long string of notes which swoop up and down.

Mother tilts her head. „I've never heard that one before. Did you see the bird which sang it?“

Hermann shakes his head sadly.

„Oh, well.“ Taps her pen against her lips. „When did you learn it?“

„Before Kismis.“

Mother writes quickly, murmurs, „This is **wonderful**. I **must** test him more often.“ Smiles at Hermann again. „Any more?“

Hermann hangs his head.

„That's alright. How about the little song?“

Hermann _wheek_ s, follows it with a stutter of notes.

„Excellent! Thank you, Hermann.“

„Yourewelcome!“

Mother stands, pats Hermann's head, and leaves.

Hermann watches her go, then hugs Little Widdershins from side to side and grins so big his face hurts.

Mother's steps go down the stairs.

Hermann sings the new, long song again as he picks up his book.

Deedee pokes his head in the doorway.

„Deedee!“

„Manny!“ cheers Deedee. „You like Jack Frost's song?“

Hermann nods enthusiastically. „Mazur likes it!“

„It's a great tune.“

Hermann beams.

„I'm going downstairs for a snack. Would you like one, too?“

„Yes!“ replies Hermann, tucking Little Widdershins under his arm, sliding off the bed, and skipping over to Deedee, whistling the new song.

Deedee joins in and they go down the stairs.

**Author's Note:**

> Photo by [Jochen Pippir](https://www.flickr.com/photos/spike05/) [[CC BY-NC-SA 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/)] via [Flickr](https://www.flickr.com/photos/spike05/5353788239/).
> 
> As usual (and necessary), artificiallifecreator served as both beta and child language translator. Thank you!
> 
> This little thing was inspired by MoiraColleen's comments on "[Fledging](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7020244)" about Birgit, Hermann, and bird calls. Frankly, they outlined this and I just filled in the blanks.
> 
> The bird calls Hermann mimics, in order, are those of the Little owl, Boreal owl, Long-eared owl, Tawny owl, Eurasian blackbird, Greenfinch, and Eurasian pygmy owl.


End file.
